Stories From the Field
Thank You Mr. Dicks!
On February 8, 2008, the American Arts Alliance Board of Directors led a delegation of arts and humanities organizations to Capitol Hill to present Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA) with a framed copy of an advertisement honoring him as Champion of the Arts and Humanities. The advertisement ran that morning in the Tacoma News Tribune.
Andrea Snyder, Chair of the American Arts Alliance, spoke on behalf of over fifty organizations in Washington State and around the nation thanking the Congressman for advancing public access to the arts and culture. He has been a major sponsor for increased federal funds for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Congressman Dicks was honored in his home district of Tacoma, Washington after leading efforts to secure a $20.3 million increase for NEA in last year’s appropriations. Rep. Dicks is chairman of the Interior Appropriations committee, which has jurisdiction over NEA funding levels. The Congressman announced that he hoped to do more in the new fiscal year (2009) but cautioned that the budget deficit would make it an uphill battle once again. He urged the organizations to keep working for increases in the overall Interior Appropriations budget allocation, and to gather new champions in the U.S. Senate.
Congressman Dicks began his career as staff assistant to Senator Warren Magnuson, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He served as a member of Congressman Sid Yates’ Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, and remembers fondly the lessons taught to him by that arts supporter. The Congressman has first-hand experience in the performing arts, as we found out. He played the clarinet in school and found it a very satisfying experience, before giving up his instrument to play football. He is like a proud father when he talks about the growing vibrancy of the arts, theatre, and museums in Tacoma and other parts of Washington.
The American Arts Alliance is grateful to our Champion of the Arts. Congratulations, Mr. Dicks.
Phoenix Violist Testifies Before Congress
 On April 19, Phoenix Symphony violist Karen Bea testified before the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee in support of increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This is the first time in several years that the U.S. House of Representatives invited public witness testimony regarding funding for the NEA. In her remarks, Bea described the impact of the NEA-supported One Nation project - a partnership between the Symphony and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Bea said, “I have witnessed the impact that the arts have in the lives of these students and their community. Over the months of study and preparation, students who were uncertain or shy developed improved self-confidence, coming out of their shells and developing new skills that they immediately put to use both on and off the stage. When a student experiences a full symphony orchestra from the inside for the first time, connecting with a masterpiece of sound, it is a life-changing experience that affects us all.” The committee members in attendance said they enjoyed hearing about the work of an NEA grant and were eager to mention the performing arts organizations in their districts. Interior Subcommittee Chair Rep. Dicks (D-WA-6) said he will do his part to see that the NEA receives an increase. Ranking member Rep. Tiahrt (R-KS-4) mentioned the positive impact of a recent National Symphony Orchestra residency his district and Rep. Udall (D-NM-3) mentioned NEA support of the Santa Fe Opera and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival in his district. This was a rare on-the-record opportunity for Congress to hear directly from the performing arts community about the value of NEA grants to organizations.
In addition to Karen Bea’s testimony, Congressional Arts Caucus co-chair Rep. Slaughter (D-NY-28) and actress Kerry Washington also testified. Rep. Slaughter spoke passionately about the need for more NEA funding and stressed that the NEA is a great investment of federal dollars because of the economic return to a community and the federal coffers. Ms. Washington delivered compelling testimony about her experiences taking community art classes in the Bronx and stressed that the arts are necessary for developing creative thinkers.
The World Theater: Teaching and Advancing Cultural Exchange
An Interview with Dawn Gibson-Brehon, Director of the World Theater
California State University at Monterey Bay boasts a fantastically diverse and active artist series through its venue at the World Theater. The theater focuses on the incorporation of multi-cultural performers to diversify each series. In speaking with Director Dawn Gibson-Brehon, it was evident that cultural exchange is important because it is part of the artistic vision of the theater. The presence of cultural exchange provides hands-on opportunities to educate the students and audience. It also furthers diversity through outreach programs such as workshops and classes toward master degrees.
When building a season, Gibson-Brehon says they look for several things:
“Off-stage work, as we call it, is a must. We look for artists with some sort of community experience, be it with children, college students or communities at large. Our goal is to have every artist on the series be able to provide some form of outreach event.”
And the World Theater has made this a reality with artists from the last season providing some sort of event outside of their performances. Not only does this make the artist performance more personal, but the feeling of accessibility to the arts achieved from such programs is unequalled. The theater also looks for diversity among the performers, concentrating on booking artists that will personally reach every student and community member at some point during the series.
In addition to the community and college student outreach, a portion of the series focuses on elementary aged children. The theater originally had a partnership with a nearby elementary school that made an artist available to the children. As part of the venue’s five-year anniversary, in conjunction with the arts performance cuts in local elementary schools, the World Theater began extending its program to local elementary schools in the area. Its “Arts for Kids” program is geared towards children with no access to arts in their schools, which is helping draw the community further into the cultural exchange occurring on the campus.
The series tries to bring in one international artist every year. It has been rather fortunate not to have any cancellations due to visa restrictions, but have had a fair share of problems and even some close calls, recounts Gibson-Brehon.
“The largest problem with bringing foreign guest artists is the language barrier. But we try to use this to integrate cultural appreciation and understanding between ourselves and the performers.”
So what are the positives of the whole cultural exchange mission? Gibson-Brehon illustrates it beautifully with two stories from her season. When the World Theater brought ODC San Francisco, a dynamic dance company consisting of a multi-cultural cast of dancers, the performance drew in a variety of audience members. One particular viewer was a faculty member of the university. He brought his family, which included a young daughter and as the curtain rose revealing the dancers, the little girl leaned over to her father and whispered, “Look dad, she looks like me,” referring to one of the Asian- American dancers poised on the stage. This self-identification that is brought from cultural exchange can make everyone feel included in the live performance and create a sense of belonging to the greater arts community.
Another performance that highlights the benefits of a cultural exchange program was the 2004 panel discussion surrounding the Compagnie Jant-Bi performance. The dialogue remembered and honored the 10th anniversary of the civil war in Rwanda. Before the show, the panel informed the audience on the background of the Rwandan genocides. Among the members was a survivor of the genocide, which relayed the reality and magnitude of the situation, as well as a new depth to the power of the performance that evening.
Gibson-Brehon explains, “The huge benefit of bringing other cultures over here comes with the reality of the performer. We get such a different perspective from the artists than we do from the news or TV, it’s a whole new outlook on the other culture’s experience.”
Indeed it is a whole new outlook. Cultural exchange proves to be a vital way for this one university — and many across the country — to teach tolerance and understanding to its students and community. It also makes the arts, especially foreign arts, accessible to a community, enriching its landscape.
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company: Bridging Worlds Together Through Cultural Exchange
 The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a distinctly American performing arts group, successfully blending a deep foundation in Asian art with the individuality of American modern dance. Existing since 1988, touring since 1994, the company massively expanded in 2000 with its international touring program, which provided a fresh prospect of cultural exchange. Over the last few years, the group toured across Asia, into countries such as India, China and Korea. More recently, they set on an artistic journey to Europe for exchanges in Poland, Lithuania, Russia and Germany.
Cultural exchange means something different to the artists on either end of the exchange. “An exchange is two way. You don’t just go there, put on a performance and come home,” explains Nai-Ni Chen’s Director Andy Chiang.
Depending on the performance, exchange can happen one of several ways. In most of their European performances, the group uses a venue that is specifically connected to a residential performance group. Europeans for example are particularly warm to the idea of joint performances and the door is wide open for pre- and post-performance workshops, as well as for future travel to the U.S. for exchange. Asian countries have been more open to performance sharing and workshops that combine the expertise of the Nai-Ni Chen visiting artists with those of the hosting company.
Chiang recounted, “The workshops are the true exchange. Performances are important but so is the one-on-one contact.” The variety of international experience only increases with the number of places a company tours.
The goals of international cultural exchange are multi-dimensional, creating an exchange network for groups like Nai-Ni Chen. But it also provides exchange to countries — like America, by informing on international festivals, forming passionate institutes and increasing the chance to share one’s presence with the performing world. The exchange breeds equality and individuality simultaneously.
“In Asia, the majority of exchanges they have experienced seem to come from competition groups or students. The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company serves as a huge eye opener to our exchange partners because we are a multicultural group ourselves. They look at us and see all ethnicities, with many different types of dance training, all performing together in one big company,” says Chiang.
Recently the group did a performance through the American Embassy in Poland for their “American Days Festival.” Usually the festival brings country singers, bluegrass musicians or storytellers, things that are “classic American.” This year, they brought the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. The group drew in crowds with questions about how they built their company out of so many different types of dancers and races of people. The company helped give international viewers a taste of what America really is. It also allowed for a way to witness rich cultural performances from host countries and gather resources for furthering international cooperation.
As a result of their cultural exchange programs, Nai-Ni Chen has created strong working relationships with places such as the Szechwan Institute of Dance and the Chang-wu Institute of Dance in Korea. Interactions with these organizations gives American programs hopes of creating their own international festival that would draw a strong, uniquely diverse program. The exchange makes America a more valuable group to both give and receive visits.
Nai-Ni Chen’s program focuses on arts integration to academic classes, while still pursuing more funding available for workshops and international exchange programs. Director Andy Chiang is an executive member of Art Pride New Jersey, a state advocacy group known for its coordination and support of the motivation and connection of legislators to artist constituents. As notable members of the Asian-American community, the dance company puts on a well-known annual Chinese New Year celebration, which consistently draws politicians to a large arts event and strengthens the connection between possibilities for funding. Chiang is also a member of Arts Presenters and Dance USA, which helps advocacy on the national level and unifies the desires and actions of performers across the U.S.
Childsplay Entertains First Lady Laura Bush
 On June 16th, 2006, Tempe, Arizona based children’s theatre Childsplay performed their touring production of Tomás and the Library Lady at the Guadalupe branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the East Valley for an audience that included former librarian First Lady Laura Bush and Senator and Mrs. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), 125 children from the Boys and Girls Club, residents from the Town of Guadalupe and an invited audience.
Mrs. Bush said, “I loved having the chance to see this play. I've known about it for a long time. And I knew that the next time I came to Arizona I hoped I'd be able to see this. And it was really fun to get to watch with all of these kids.”
Based on Pat Mora’s popular book by the same name, the play tells the true story of Tomás Rivera, who began his life as a migrant worker and ended it as a university chancellor. As a child, Tomás befriends a librarian in Iowa who introduces him to books, reading and libraries and his world expands. Tomás and the Library Lady celebrates the wonder of reading and is a personal favorite of Mrs. Bush. California playwright José Cruz González adapted the play for Childsplay, using Ms. Mora’s book and his own research on the life of Tomás Rivera.
This play was produced in cooperation with the Maricopa County Library District and was made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture. Childsplay Director David Saar noted that this production was funded in a very American way that is with federal government funding through the National Endowment for the Arts, local philanthropy, local government funding through the library district and the support of individual donors.
Childsplay, Inc. is a nonprofit theatre company of professional, adult artists who perform for and teach young audiences and their families. The mission of Childsplay is “to create theatre so strikingly original in form, content or both, that it instills in young people an enduring awe, love and respect for the medium, thus preserving imagination and wonder, the hallmarks of childhood which are keys to the future.”
Photo: The cast of Tomas and the Lady Librarian, Yolanda London and Ricardo D. Araiza with First Lady Laura Bush. Photo by Janine Doto.
Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra Advocates for Missouri Arts Council
By Scott Parkman
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Assistant Conductor
and Music Director of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra
www.slso.org
The 2005-2006 season marked the 35th anniversary of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. The Orchestra members come from the entire St. Louis area and range from 12-22 years of age. As the Assistant Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the SLSYO, I had the privilege of assembling a season of remarkable artistic richness to mark this distinguished milestone. However, I’m most proud of the work we did in the realm of arts education advocacy.
On February 9, 2006, the SLSYO performed in the rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City under the auspices of Missouri Citizens for the Arts Day. Missouri’s arts education programs are like many states- flourishing in some areas, satisfactory to mediocre in most areas, and simply non-existent in too many others. Parents and students wrote letters to their representatives and senators, introducing themselves, inviting them to our concerts, and organizing meetings on our big day in February.
Our concert was at noon. The sound of the orchestra resonated throughout the Capitol. Senators, Representatives, staff members all peaked out from their offices or came to the Rotunda to watch. The students then went on their ways to put a face on the positive effects of an education that includes the arts. We followed up with thank you letters.
And the outcome? The SLSYO, arts advocates, and other concerned citizens contributed to convincing the legislature to approve the Governor’s recommendation for FY 2006 of $2.7 million to the Missouri Arts Council. This was the first time in a decade that the House and Senate approved the recommended level of funding. We all learned that our voice does make a difference, and an ongoing, respectful and informed dialogue is key.
Sen. Michael Gibbons (R) of Kirkwood, MO with Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra members Elliot Perko, Emily Graham and Jeff Panhorst (Marian Brickner, photographer)
Two Days on Capitol Hill
By Susan Tsu
Costume Designer and Professor of Costume Design
Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama
It wasn’t until joining the Board of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), that the thought of actually participating in Arts Advocacy Day in Washington DC became more than just an idea. Each year, TCG Government Affairs Director Laurie Baskin would illuminate current arts issues on Capitol Hill and graciously ask for our participation as Board members during two days in March. I must admit it took a couple of years for me to actually gather the necessary courage. Finally this past year, my courage and my schedule coincided. I found myself in our nation’s capital with my activist husband and delegates from West Virginia wondering why we hadn’t done this long ago. We made visits to the offices of Pennsylvanian Congressmen Mike Doyle and Tim Murphy as well as tag-along visits to the offices of Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and the colorful Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia.
As one who has served on national and international committees such as the Prague Quadrennial, USITT, TCG, and the NEA I have been committed to giving back to the profession that has nurtured me. I have written letters in support of arts funding to congressional representatives in the states where I’ve resided. I believe in the power of our collective voices.
The structure of the two days we spent in Washington was well coordinated. For the uninitiated, the informative sessions on Monday prepared us well for the Hill visits the next day. We already knew how our representatives had voted on key arts issues, but we learned a great deal more. For instance: “make the ask” and tell your story but don’t waste your representative’s time by not “making the ask!” Now, I am not accustomed to sitting down and asking anyone for $170M dollars with a straight face. We practiced.
Between issue briefs, talking points, meetings focused on specific areas like funding for the NEA and NEH, international artist’s visa issues, and watching a Capitol Hill role playing session, we felt much more prepared for the appointments that Baskin had made for Tuesday. With the exception of a cordial short visit with Congresswoman Capito, we met with key aides who ranged from wide-eyed newcomers to the savvy Legislative Assistant for Senator Byrd who made us all proud to be served by the Senator who carries a pocket copy of the Constitution over his heart and has supported the arts since his childhood days playing fiddle in the hills of West Virginia. Our visits varied from a long sit down in Byrd’s inner office, to a shared visit in Murphy’s reception area with advocates from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. Laurie Baskin supplied the facts and figures and we told our personal reasons why we feel the arts are important in our lives and our society, how increased government funding helps gain further funding for companies sorely in need of support, and we made the ask!
Looking back, we can only hope that in the course of a busy day, we touched the aides and that their notes (they did take notes) about our stories resonated with our representatives. What I can say is that they listened intently and took the time to hear us out. Statistics show that our voices can make a difference. I also have an observation from the costume designer in me who reads people: the aides listened with a completely different gaze and forward-sitting body gesture to those of us who are not professional lobbyists. That surprised and heartened me.
By the time you read this, Congress will have voted and we shall have seen if the NEA suffered a $30M cut, level funding, or a raise to keep abreast of inflation. Whatever the outcome, I still believe in the voice of the little guy. Whatever the outcome, I believe we must still keep trying. I was a kid when Kennedy articulated a vision at Amherst College that Johnson would later realize with the formation of the National Endowment for the Arts. I’ve grown up with his vision and benefited from it for too many years not to keep trying. He said:
“I see little of more importance to the future of our country?than full recognition of the place of the artist?Society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him?And the nation which disdains the mission of art invites?the fate of having nothing to look backward to with pride and nothing to look forward to with hope?I look forward to an America which will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all our citizens.”
Great American Voices: Unforgettable Melodies from Opera and Broadway
By Andrea Johnson
Manager of Education and Adult Learning Programs
OPERA America
OPERA America Since October 2005, opera companies across the United States have been engaging in community outreach activities with military personnel and their families, thanks to Great American Voices: Unforgettable Melodies from Opera and Broadway, a new national initiative created by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with support from the Boeing Company.
Great American Voices is the latest in a series of national cultural initiatives developed by the NEA and the Department of Defense for military personnel and their families. Past projects of this nature have included Operation Homecoming, which has helped soldiers write about their wartime experiences, and Shakespeare in American Communities, which brought performances of Shakespeare plays and related educational activities to military bases.
Great American Voices will provide free professional performances of opera and musical theater classics, as well as related educational activities, to 39 military installations nationwide. For the 24 opera companies selected to participate, grants will cover the costs of preparing and presenting performances and activities at military installations in their communities. For many participating companies, Great American Voices has provided incentive and support for new or expanded educational programming. With these programs in place, it is hoped that companies will be able to better serve the larger community in subsequent seasons.
Great American Voices was designed to provide entertainment for troops and their families and provide opportunities for promising young artists. The opera companies who received grants as part of Great American Voices will each develop a series of activities, including performances, lectures, discussions, and programming for schools either on the base or in the area.
San Diego Opera will visit three military bases in Southern California. The San Diego Opera Ensemble, a group of six professional young singers, will present evening performances for families, followed by a question-and-answer session with the artists, led by the company’s education director, Nicolas Reveles. The artists will speak about the different pieces they have performed, about their lives as singers, and about opera in general. In addition, San Diego Opera will visit two on-base schools and a youth center, as well as a couple of schools in the surrounding area with a performance program specifically designed to introduce elementary school students to opera. The company is also developing study guide materials to send to schools in advance of the performance.
The Atlanta Opera is excited about being involved with Great American Voices because it gives them the chance to connect with their local community. The company frequently receives requests from community groups for performances of opera highlights, but lack of time and resources has prevented them from offering such programs. With the support from the Great American Voices initiative, the company will be able to develop a program for the military installations that will serve as a basis for further outreach activities in the greater Atlanta area. The Atlanta Opera plans to offer family performances, lectures for adults, and school-based performances and activities in a two-day residency on each base.
These are just two examples of the 23 different companies that have received support from the Great American Voices project. Performances will be offered throughout the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, over the next year. OPERA America has been honored to assist the NEA in developing informational materials to be distributed in conjunction with the performances. These will include a printed publication with general information about opera and musical theater, and an audio CD, introducing listeners to opera through different performance clips and commentary from NEA Chairman Dana Gioia, NEA Director, Music & Opera, Wayne Brown, and mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. Later this month, additional information about opera and the initiative will be available online at www.greatamericanvoices.org.
Great American Voices was officially launched on September 28, in Washington, D.C., at the Renwick Gallery, with a performance by renowned soprano Harolyn Blackwell. The first performance of the initiative took place on July 4, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The base's 2nd Marine Division Band, which usually provides musical entertainment on the Fourth of July, was deployed to Iraq, and staff at the base contacted the NEA for assistance in providing a musical program. Through Great American Voices, 15,000 military personnel and their families were treated to an evening of entertainment featuring four professional singers, the Opera Carolina Chorus, and the Winston-Salem Symphony, performing opera, musical theater, and patriotic selections, followed by a dramatic fireworks display.
"The performance of Opera Carolina and the Winston-Salem Symphony was extraordinary, and the program was a unique and a special replacement for our 2nd Marine Division Band that is currently in Iraq."
— Robert C. Dickerson
Major General, U.S. Marine Corps
"For the past few months, I wondered if there would even be music for the fireworks display on the 4th. Thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts, our Independence Day celebration tradition of music and fireworks continued. As a military dependent, I want to express my gratitude to the NEA, Opera Carolina, and the Winston-Salem Symphony for providing an entertaining and moving patriotic performance."
— Connie Stokes Starnes
Camp Lejeune, NC
Austin Ballet Becomes Skilled in the Art of Advocacy
By Cookie Ruiz
Executive Director
Ballet Austin
Confession: Three years ago, for the 400th time, I opened an email with a subject line that read something like: “Take Action Now!!! Defend the NEA!” or “Your Advocacy Needed to Defend/Support the Arts.” Just as the 399 times before this occasion my mind made this mental loop: 1) This is probably important. Hint: Red ink, bold type and LOTS of exclamation points! 2) I wonder what larger organizations do when they receive emails like this? 3) Sure hope somebody out there who knows what to do with this is doing it. 4) I am drowning in this job and better get back to chasing single ticket buyers. So with shame (having been put here on earth to feel guilty) I sent yet another advocacy “call to action” to its untimely death in my “trashcan.”
However, something about the 401st occasion that triggered an idea one day. The need for arts advocacy in the post 9/11 world was now at my front door. Arts funding at the statewide and city level was challenging the income of my annual budget - not the nation’s. Necessity became the mother of invention. It became clear that I had reached a certain age and place in my professional life without so much as one tiny thread of genetic predisposition to advocacy. I had not tripped over this knowledge, and it didn’t seem to be seeking me out. Accepting this shortcoming as temporary, it seemed time to set about a path to address this deficiency.
What does any self-respecting ED do when knowledge is needed and it is not close at hand? They create a committee (free talent) and populate it with the brightest minds in the region. The wonderful part is that people who were actually completely non-conversant on the topic of dance were very willing to share their knowledge concerning the art of advocacy.
Long story longer - Three years later the Governmental Relations Committee has become a think tank of about 15 individuals who monitor issues and provide expertise at the city, regional, state-wide and national levels. Our Chair is in and out of Washington DC as a lobbyist and makes several trips each year to the Dance/USA office to check in on current needs before heading to the Hill. Our committee actually only meets twice a year face to face, but operates the rest of the year as an on-call brain trust available to me by phone and email as issues arise.
Last week the group met to kick off the year and entered into a spirited discussion about the post Katrina impact on the NEA and then moved into a discussion of various positions on Estate Tax. The city government reps set up a series of meet and greets with our newly elected local officials and gave me solid advice on a couple of divisive issues we need to avoid and one we need to lead. The statewide folks focused on the future of the Texas Commission on the Arts. We even talked about national issues concerning arts funding and philanthropy. It was fascinating to hear the committee debate different positions on each topic. Finally, we set a goal this year for our Board to address a national advocacy issue as a group through a resolution - our first full Board response. Who knows? If this keeps up I may have to find a new source of unresolved angst to address in my life!
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Successfully Makes Their Case
Paul Nicholson, Executive Director, of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, became increasingly aware that his congressman, Rep. Greg Walden (R), has a history of taking a neutral stand on arts related issues. He has consistently voted for maintaining NEA and NEH funding and has voted against attempts to reduce funding. However, he has never voted for any increase in arts funding. Paul invited Rep. Walden to join him in a meeting with Artistic Director, Libby Appel and Board President, Nancy Tait. Congressman Walden listened attentively to the arguments presented by OSF – the Festival is a major economic driver for the region (more than $120 million economic impact each year), the Festival’s Education programs impact over 100,000 students annually and OSF is recognized as one of the top five theatres in America. We encouraged Congressman Walden to move beyond his conservative base and to take pride in the Festival’s place in American theatre. We stated clearly that funding from the NEA, and the status it confers, has been instrumental in our development. At the end of the meeting, Congressman Walden stated that he believed it was time to change his position and committed to supporting increases in arts funding in the future.
This experience showed us that we can change our legislators’ minds if we focus our arguments on the value the NEA and NEH have for us as key constituents in their districts. We were completely respectful and at the same time firm in stating our case. We’re confident that our congressman will follow through on his commitment.
 NEA Funding Brings Swing Dance Master Frankie Manning to Idaho
The University of Idaho's National College Choreography Initiative project with swing dance master Frankie Manning resulted in the creation of two new works, "Flying Home" and "Jam Session" during the 2003-2004 academic year. The pieces were performed for over 300 school age children and 400 visitors for the university's Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. During his residency, Manning offered a weekend Swing/Jazz dance workshop, which sold out and attracted university and local dancers, as well as other dancers from throughout the Northwest region, from as far away as Seattle and Portland.
Frankie Manning's residency was a great success for a small dance program as it gave dancers throughout the community an opportunity to work directly with a dance legend and educated the public about the true roots of Swing Dance.
Late-night dinners with the inexhaustible Manning turned into an impromptu oral history session where he reflected on working at the Savoy Ballroom with stories about jazz luminaries such as Ella Fitzgerald and others. Adding significant context to the residency was Jazz Historian Peter Loggins who taught classes and lectured on the roots of swing and vernacular jazz dance. The workshop concluded with a lecture by Manning and a preview of the new works.
The first of these new works, "Flying Home," is set to the music of Lionel Hampton with a cast of 20 university dancers, and featured the vernacular jazz vocabulary found in the fad dances of the 1940s. The 89-years-young Manning both taught the students the history of the dances and enticed them with the excitement of the era. The second new work, "Jam Session," is set to the music of Benny Goodman, and was a swing dance for three couples selected from university dancers and members of the Swing Devils of Palouse. With an improvisational feel, intricate rhythmic footwork and "air steps," the piece recreated the feel of film clips of the Savoy Ballroom dancers.
This exhausting weekend of dance was one of the best workshops in the Northwest Region and gave the dance program at the University of Idaho a great boost in visibility. The program's visibility was also increased on campus; Manning's residency took place during Black History Month and the university held a Presidential Reception for the artist, a first for the program. The residency also received press features in the Moscow/Pullman Daily News and the Lewiston Tribune. Another long-lasting impact of the residency was the video documentation of Manning's teaching and rehearsals, which will be housed at the university and available to researchers or for future documentaries on Manning.
Dance/USA administers the NEA's National College Choreography Initiative (NCCI). This program awards grants that enable institutions of higher learning across the country to host notable dance artists on campus. Through this initiative, colleges and universities nationwide unite professional dance artists with college students to restage classic American dances or to create new works. A significant component of the program is the sharing of work with the larger community beyond the performance of the dance piece. Outreach activities include post-performance discussions, classes, open rehearsals and lecture/demonstrations in schools.
Congressional Meetings Rewarding for Opera Administrators
The most effective and influential way of communicating with your elected officials is a personal visit to the legislator's office, either in Washington, DC or the district office. As a constituent and voter, you can have a significant role in shaping the outcome of policies that concern you – but only if you take the time to let your legislators know what you want.
Arts administrators who have participated in congressional visits have found meeting with their elected officials to be a rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. The visits have enabled constituents to cultivate existing relations, establish a new dialogue, thank arts supporters, and educate and influence opponents and those who are new to the issues.
"Perhaps most impressive about the meeting with Jerry Nadler's staff is that they appeared to be such good representatives for their boss. Because we had such an easy time of it (Nadler having already been prepped by the Arts Alliance and his office supporting the arts and arts education), it was a good warm up for a more difficult visit. I would love to participate in future visits." -- Linda Golding, Founder, The Reservoir and former President, Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
"My congressional visit was a wonderful experience. The staff in Congressman Knollenberg's office were welcoming and eager to gain a better understanding of the issues. I look forward to future contact and communication with them. Given the busy nature of congressional schedules, a face to face meeting with your Member of Congress is an easy and effective way to draw attention to your organization and its related concerns. I am enthusiastic about the advocacy work of OPERA America and I encourage anyone who is connected or involved with the opera community to contact OPERA America to schedule a hill visit (if you plan to be in Washington), or to meet with your representative in your home district." -- Sharon Gioia, immediate past President, Opera Volunteers International.
"I expected the meetings to be a pretty much pro forma thing and was pleasantly surprised that we really had a chance to lay out some issues and lay groundwork for future discussions. We are planning some events to invite our Members of Congress to and photo opportunities with children and people in social programs. It became clear to me that I need to involve them in our community outreach. They are more receptive and interested in that than they are about mainstage operas on the Orpheum stage. Congressional visits are just another form of development, and the secret is the same – being a good listener and figuring out what they care about and how something you do relates to that." -- Jane Hill, Executive Director, Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra and former General Director, Opera Omaha.
While Washington-based arts advocates are working to communicate pro-arts messages to Members of Congress, you – as a constituent – have the most powerful voice. Your legislators were elected to represent you, and they want to hear what you have to say.
Back to Top | 
